What should happen?
An install, purchase, qualified lead or return visit defines the next action and the conversion event.
ADVERTISING / A PRACTICAL FIELD GUIDE
The category.
The format.
The next action.
Installs, purchases and leads describe the goal. Native, display and video describe the format. Programmatic describes how eligible inventory is bought.
See campaign examplesSTART WITH THE RIGHT DISTINCTION
The goal, the format
and the buying method.
How does the ad appear?
Native, display, carousel, video or playable describes the creative and placement experience. One format can serve several objectives.
How is it delivered?
Programmatic is a buying method. Retargeting is an audience strategy. Social is a channel context. None defines one mandatory visual layout.
OBJECTIVE / FORMAT / BUYING METHOD
Built for the action
you actually need.
An install, a purchase and a qualified enquiry need different journeys. Choose an example to see the creative in context.
A different route.
A fresh perspective.
Stories, ideas and places worth discovering.
ORBIT: Beyond the BlueAd · Exploration adventure game
A world beyond the everyday.
Explore the sky gardens and discover your next adventure.
CONTINUE DISCOVERINGMake room for something new.
PATH
CHAPTER COMPLETEA new route
is ready.
is ready.
You have returned to the host app.
Ad · ORBIT
ORBIT
A world beyond
the everyday.
Explore the sky gardens.
ORBIT: Beyond the BlueExploration adventure game
Your everyday, reimagined. Discover the FORME 01 in ivory and cobalt.
FORME 01THE DAILY COLLECTION
More from your feed
THE DAILYThe next project.
WORK / OPERATIONS / BUSINESS
The next project.
A clearer way forward.
Bring the brief, the priorities and the next milestone into one shared plan.
Make the next step visible.
Useful project habits help a team move together.
THE DAILYA little more movement.
MOVEMENT / DESIGN / EVERYDAY LIFE
A little more movement.
A different kind of day.
Make room for a new route, a fresh routine and the things that keep you moving.
Start with the everyday.
Good habits begin with small, considered choices.
ADVERTISEMENT FORME RUNNING SHOES
A little clarity.
FORME 01
Ivory / Cobalt · Everyday running shoes.
Still finding your next pair?A little clarity.
A bigger plan.
Personal budgeting for the goals that matter to you.
Advertiser-side simulation: the eligible product visitor sees the FORME reminder. No real visitor data is used.
THE DAILYA little more movement.
MOVEMENT / DESIGN / EVERYDAY LIFE
A little more movement.
A different kind of day.
Make room for a new route, a fresh routine and the things that keep you moving.
Start with the everyday.
Good habits begin with small, considered choices.
ADVERTISEMENT
pocketPersonal budgeting app. Plan your next goal.
SIGNALSTREAMING / CONCEPT PLAYER
COASTLINES / EPISODE 01A different perspective.
ADVERTISEMENTA little clarity.
pocket
A little clarity.
A bigger plan.
Personal budgeting for your next goal.
Programme previewEP 01
ADVERTISEMENT · FRAME
Play an eight-second commercial, then return to the programme preview. Nothing autoplays.
Original fictional campaigns in representative placements. Platform layouts vary. Ad controls, serving, attribution and destinations are simulated; no live ads, installs, purchases or enquiries are generated.
THE CATEGORY CHANGES THE CAMPAIGN
Different apps.
Different reasons to act.
Explore six app categories through an original ad concept, a business objective and the signals worth discussing.
DAYBREAKDISCOVERIES / PARTNER STORIES
FORMEAd · Everyday running. Considered.
INTRODUCING THE DAILY COLLECTIONYour everyday.
FORM / FUNCTION / EVERYDAYYour everyday.
Reimagined.
FORME 01Everyday running shoes
Fictional brand · open the matching brand experience
DAYBREAKDISCOVERIES / PARTNER STORIES
ORBITAd · Small explorer. Endless possibility.
STEP INTO A NEW ADVENTUREBeyond the blue.
EXPLORE SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARYBeyond the blue.
Into the unknown.
ORBIT: Beyond the BlueExploration adventure game
Fictional brand · open the matching brand experience
DAYBREAKDISCOVERIES / PARTNER STORIES
pocketAd · A little clarity. A bigger plan.
MAKE ROOM FOR WHAT’S NEXTReal plans.
YOUR GOALS. YOUR PACE.Real plans.
Not just good intentions.
Pocket — everyday budgetingPersonal budgeting app
Fictional brand · open the matching brand experience
DAYBREAKDISCOVERIES / PARTNER STORIES
focusAd · Less scattered. More intentional.
ONE PRIORITY. A CLEARER DAY.Your day.
A PLAN FOR THE WAY YOU WORK.Your day.
In focus.
Focus — your daily plannerTasks & focus sessions
Fictional brand · open the matching brand experience
DAYBREAKDISCOVERIES / PARTNER STORIES
FRAMEAd · Stories that stay with you.
A FRAME ORIGINAL / FICTIONAL FILMTHE LAST
A NEW STORY TO GET LOST IN.THE LAST
LIGHT
Some secrets never leave the shore.
The Last LightA coastal mystery on FRAME
Fictional brand · open the matching brand experience
DAYBREAKDISCOVERIES / PARTNER STORIES
pauseAd · A small ritual. A little space.
COME BACK TO THE MOMENTA little less rush.
FIND YOUR OWN RHYTHM.A little less rush.
A little more you.
Pause — guided breathingBreathing & everyday wellbeing
Fictional brand · open the matching brand experience
Shopping & commerce
- Business objective
- Turn product discovery into a first purchase or a repeat order.
- Formats to consider
- Native product ads, display, product carousels and video.
- Events to evaluate
- Product views, add-to-cart, purchases and attributed revenue.
Keep product availability, creative and the destination consistent. Separate new-customer acquisition from returning-customer campaigns.
Explore the format guideIllustrative category planning, not a spending ranking or a claim of platform access. Campaign scope, inventory and measurement are agreed before launch.
FORMATS, PLACEMENTS & CAMPAIGNS
Choose the experience.
Then build for it.
A rewarded placement can contain video or a playable. An App campaign can distribute several creative formats. A native ad is defined by its placement and presentation—not by the category of product it promotes.
01Native
A labeled sponsored placement adapted to an app’s content layout.
- Useful for
- Product discovery, feature explanations and content-led acquisition.
- What to evaluate
- Clicks and destination events; impressions and viewability where available.
- Industry examples
- Google AdMob; Meta Audience Network
02Display / banner
An image or rich-media creative inside a defined ad slot.
- Useful for
- Product reminders, offers and concise app propositions.
- What to evaluate
- Impressions, clicks and attributable conversions.
- Industry examples
- Google Display; AdMob; programmatic inventory
03Interstitial
A full-screen ad at a natural break in the host app. May contain an image, video or interactive creative.
- Useful for
- App discovery and full-screen product stories.
- What to evaluate
- Impressions, completion where relevant, clicks and downstream actions.
- Industry examples
- Google AdMob; mobile ad networks
04Rewarded
The user chooses an ad experience in exchange for a clearly stated in-app reward.
- Useful for
- Publisher monetization; advertiser reach within an agreed value exchange.
- What to evaluate
- Opt-in, eligible completions, reward delivery, revenue and retention.
- Industry examples
- Google AdMob; Meta Audience Network
05Playable
An interactive preview of a game or app experience.
- Useful for
- Demonstrating mechanics before the user installs.
- What to evaluate
- Engagement, installs and post-install quality.
- Industry examples
- Mobile ad networks; TikTok Playable Ads
06Short-form / social video
A video made for a feed, Stories or another short-form viewing context.
- Useful for
- Gameplay, product demonstrations and feature-led app discovery.
- What to evaluate
- Video engagement, response and attributable app events.
- Industry examples
- TikTok; Meta; YouTube Shorts
07CTV / streaming video
A commercial shown in a streaming television environment. Creative is generally designed for a landscape screen.
- Useful for
- A broader product story with a channel-appropriate response path.
- What to evaluate
- Reach, frequency and completed views where supplied; downstream measurement requires an agreed method.
- Industry examples
- Amazon streaming TV; eligible programmatic CTV supply
08Search / app promotion
Text or app-focused creative shown in relevant search or app-discovery contexts. A campaign type can use several formats.
- Useful for
- Responding to expressed intent or encouraging an app install.
- What to evaluate
- Clicks, installs and attributed actions.
- Industry examples
- Google Search and App campaigns — industry context
09Shopping / product carousel
Product-led creative showing individual items or a browsable sequence. Shopping ads and carousels are distinct implementations.
- Useful for
- Product comparison and collection discovery.
- What to evaluate
- Product visits, cart actions, purchases and revenue.
- Industry examples
- Google Shopping; social and retail platforms — industry context
RESEARCH NOTES / REVIEWED NOVEMBER 2026
Built from platform guidance.
“Most advertised” depends on whether a report counts spend, advertisers, creatives or impressions—and on its markets and period. The categories above are planning examples, not a universal league table.
- AppsFlyer: 2025 app marketing trends and category investment
- Google: app install and in-app action campaigns
- Google: lead forms and destination requirements
- Google: dynamic remarketing
- IAB UK: programmatic buying
- Adweave: social media and AI approach
- Google Ads: formats and campaign types
- Google AdMob: ad units, formats and ad types
- TikTok: Spark Ads and Playable Ads
- Meta Audience Network: app ad formats
- Amazon Ads: display, video and streaming TV
START WITH YOUR APP
What should the next ad achieve?
Prepare the objective, audience and measurement questions.
Prepare a campaign brief